Breakfast bunch: West Seattle, White Center reviews to share

BREAKFAST AT YOUNG’S: That’s the title of the latest of the popular weekly food tales that Justin Cline from Full Tilt Ice Cream is telling at White Center Now. He calls what he had at Young’s “the pinnacle of breakfast.” Read about it here.

HIDDEN GEM, JADE WEST CAFE: That’s the title of an e-mail to the Fairmount Springs list by Paul Sureddin, who says we’re welcome to share it with you too; he wrote it after several weekly breakfast visits to the little cafe north of Morgan Junction (breakfast? who knew?) – read on:

One of our neighbors … mentioned to me in passing I should try a little restaurant I have passed for years without giving a second thought, Jade West.

Every Saturday morning for the past 5 weeks Melissa and I have gone there for breakfast. What can I say about this place… it feels like a cross between an old diner and maybe a Seinfeld episode (think Soup Nazi, but nicer). One booth and 8 stools looking directly at the cook and stove. The owner/cook/end all at this place, is Wah Wong. If he has it and you want it, he will cook it.

Step through the door, find a seat and wait your turn, as each order is done, first come, first served. Feel free to get up and pour yourself some coffee or tea, and then offer to pour some for your fellow diners. Sit back and relax, since this is the last place you come if you’re in a hurry – you’re in Wah’s world now and he won’t be rushed. Everyone seems to be a regular who’s been coming for years and they are a friendly bunch – sharing the newspaper and getting to know Wah and the person on the stool next to you are par for the course – you may notice what someone else is eating (“I didn’t see that on the menu.”), or the fuzzy tv, or the harassing by Wah starts, and everyone joins in the conversation. Our first time in, Wah tried to convince us that we wanted peanut butter and jelly for breakfast, then there was mention of chicken feet. No, we didn’t go for that, but we figured we had a colorful person on our hands.

Looking at the menu and the restaurant itself, it literally has not changed in the 17 years it has been open. The original menus with the price of the Big Breakfast still shows $3.95 – Wah didn’t want to print new menus so he just stuck a sign on the wall that everything is $1 more as of 10/10/2008. I was astounded at how cheap this place was, especially when the food appeared – made to order portions that are huge. Breakfast isn’t Wah’s only meal of the day – while we haven’t had lunch or dinner yet, the reviews from everyone there have been great (one morning he was making prime rib for that evening’s dinner special and it looked delicious) – it is definitely on our list for the future.

Wah is threatening retirement and we are already sad about potentially missing this place, but thought we would like to share our gem of a cafe where we are having fun becoming regulars.

Jade West is at 6032 California SW (map), and Paul provided its hours too:

M-F Lunch: 10:30 – 2:30
M-F Dinner: 5:00 – 8:00
Sat, Sun Breakfast & Lunch: 8:00 – 2:30
Sat, Sun Dinner: 5:00 – 8:00
(hours may change, depening on Wah’s vacation schedule)
206.932.9840

Look for more local restaurant info on WSB soon!

2 Replies to "Breakfast bunch: West Seattle, White Center reviews to share"

  • JanS February 13, 2009 (9:15 pm)

    34 years I’ve been in West SEattle. I’ve driven past this place so many times and thought “I really gotta try that place” – well, I really gotta try that place…who wants to join me?

  • Sue February 13, 2009 (9:31 pm)

    The wonton soup is awesome – he sits there and wraps the wontons while you wait – doesn’t get any fresher than that! I’ve not had breakfast there, but have had dinner a few times. It’s okay – not the best chinese food I’ve had, but certainly reasonably priced.

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